From The Beacon: Ghost's riddles so fun it was scary

Halloween can be such a happy and fun time for the community. Regular Beacon readers are aware that last week, Wilbur, Beaufort County Public Library's resident ghost took over this column. It seems as though he found a staff submission that just wasn't up to par (ghosts can be our toughest critics). But he did come up with a good idea, and folks young and old have been searching our library resources for answers to our Treasure Hunt Quiz.

Over the past week, thanks to our library employees and wonderful library customers, we were able to solve Wilbur's riddles. As he's a generous ghost, he was kind enough to leave behind some treats for a lucky few who answered his questions correctly. After the holiday has passed, the library will choose the winners and we'll call them to pick up their reward.

The answers to Wilbur's riddles are below. If you need further help learning how to solve them with the library's resources, please come in and talk with a librarian. We had as much fun as you did!

QUESTIONS (WITH ANSWERS) FOR THE CHILDREN'S RIDDLES

1. This compilation of ghost stories will have you on your knees. These are the favorite tales of the author who wrote "The BFG."

Answer: "Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories"

2. When Michael Rex wrote this parody of "Goodnight Moon," he might have not thought about whether bedtime was soon.

A: "Goodnight Goon" is a quirky, entertaining take on the "Goodnight Moon" classic.

3. To trick or treat our senses must be Keene. The hoax in this book won't fool children's literature's reigning detective queen.

A: "The Halloween Hoax," a Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew mystery.

4. So far you've only had to hunt for books. This 1995 movie that pairs my dear young friend with Christina Ricci is worth a look.

A: "Casper."

5. The library can help bring factual knowledge to spooky mystery. Now find an article on Halloween history. (Hint: use the reference databases.)

A: Several articles on Halloween history, or citations referring to articles with Halloween history, can be found using the reference databases.

QUESTIONS (WITH ANSWERS) FOR THE TEEN AND ADULT RIDDLES

1. I like this author's multitude of works at this time of year the most. Although I'm sad to say I wasn't mentioned in "South Carolina Ghosts."

A: Nancy Roberts is the author of "South Carolina Ghosts" and several other books on ghosts.

2. If you know how to use the catalog, it's as if you can pull the answer to the question above right out of a hat. But to find the author's biography, what library resource would you use for that?

A: You can use a multitude of library resources to find biographies on authors. You can start with "Biography in Context," a Discus database.

3. The biographical resources the library offers are such a blast, now tell me what the library offers to help customers dig into families' pasts.

A: The library offers an Ancestry Library Edition database to help in genealogical research. The Beaufort District Collection also offers many helpful resources when dealing with family history.

4. If you look in Beaufort County, a copy of this 1971 classic just isn't there. To find Blatty's thrill you need to understand the SC Lends concept of "everywhere."

A: "The Exorcist"

5. This vampire series with a male lead rivals that of "Twilight." In the first book, we learn the eighth grade can really bite.

A: "Eighth Grade Bites," by Heather Brewer

Thanks to everyone who participated in our treasure hunt. If you've got a riddle of your own to solve or some answers you'd like to hunt down, just take a trip to your local branch library and start your own information expedition. We're here to help you with your search, no matter what you're looking for.

Kelly Vadney is the circulation manager for the Hilton Head Branch of the Beaufort County Public Library, at 11 Beach City Road, Hilton Head Island.